UNITAR offers a limited number of full fellowships per course to public sector officials from low-income countries including least developed countries (LDCs) according to the list specified by the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS: http://www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/25/). There are few fellowships available and they will be awarded according to experience and career relevance, relevant academic background, and level of personal motivation. Interested applicants from these countries should send their CV, including full contact details and a letter of motivation to pft-training@unitar.org. UNITAR will select the candidates and inform them via email.

Climate change is one of the most important international issues facing the world today. One controversial element of the climate change debate is the relationship between trade agreements and measures to mitigate the effects of climate change. This course explores key legal and economic issues arising from the climate change debate, including the relationship between the WTO Agreement and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) that address climate change. The course examines the legality under international trade rules of domestic and international trade measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as measures designed to influence the behaviour of trading partners. Issues addressed include: subsidies and countervailing duties, border tax adjustments, the use of technical regulations and standards to address climate change, how the WTO Agreement treats process and production methods (PPMs) that emit greenhouse gas emissions, and the WTO negotiations on environmental goods and services. Particular attention will be devoted to developing country concerns, including the economic implications for developing countries of WTO rules and MEAs affecting climate change, as well as intellectual property protection issues and technology transfer, including their role in mitigation and adaptation strategies.

In order to provide interested stakeholders from government, business, civil society and academia with a critical analysis o key issues of the ongoing climate change debate, the World Trade Institute (WTI) at the University of Bern (Switzerland) and the United Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) are offering this e-Learning course to a global audience.

Identify the key legal and economic issues arising from the climate change debate;

Discuss the legality under international trade rules of domestic and international trade measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and of measures designed to influence the behavior of trading partners; and

In order to ensure the best possible outreach, the course will be delivered through e-learning. Through a multiple-instructional setting, the goal is to achieve the learning objectives by means of learning technologies that match personal learning styles and by the inclusion of non-linear learning that aims at the development of just-in-time skills of adult learners. At the same time, in order to allow participants maximum flexibility of scheduling , the learning will be conducted in an asynchronous manner. Using a state-of-the-art training architecture, UNITAR will combine self-learning with assessments and online discussions. The pedagogy - adapted specifically to professionals in full-time work - will help train participants through various experiences: absorb (read); do (activity); interact (socialize); reflect (relate to one’s own reality).

A certificate of completion will be issued jointly by UNITAR and WTI to all participants who complete the course-related assignments and assessments successfully. Course schedule is subject to change. Course fee is non-refundable but transferrable to another course or participant and subject to change as per UNITAR's policy on pricing.